TUSCAN ROAST TURKEY
INGREDIENTS
1 16-pound young turkey
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup Tuscan Herb Paste
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons celery salt
3 fennel stalks with fronds, chopped
3 onions, large dice
1 stalk celery, small dice
2 1/4 quarts chicken stock
3 ounces all-purpose flour
Remove giblets from turkey’s cavity, rinse cavity and pat dry, set aside. Season turkey inside and out with kosher salt.
Mix Tuscan Herb Paste with crushed fennel seeds and celery salt. Starting at the neck of the bird, slip your hand between
the meat and the skin to loosen.
Rub half the paste mix under skin, and rub remaining paste inside the cavity and over the rest of the turkey.
Place two-thirds of the chopped onion and fennel stalks inside cavity. Truss bird.
Place turkey in a roasting pan. Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 325°F and continue cooking the turkey to an internal temperature of 160°F, approximately 2 1/2 to
3 hours. Baste turkey often during cooking with juices from pan. If turkey begins to overbrown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
As turkey roasts, simmer giblets (neck, heart and gizzard), the other one-third of the fennel stalk, onion mix and diced
celery in 1 quart chicken stock until tender, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
When turkey is done, remove from roasting pan and set aside to rest. Degrease roasting pan, reserving 3 ounces of fat to
make a roux.
Deglaze pan with a small amount of chicken stock. Transfer stock to a saucepot, and add remaining stock and broth from
giblets. Bring to a simmer and degrease.
Make a blond roux with reserved fat and flour. Add roux to the liquid, whisking well to prevent lumps. Simmer 15 minutes.
Strain gravy through a fine-meshed strainer. Adjust seasoning.
Just in case you don’t find Tuscan herb paste in the store:
1-3/4 cups of 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1/2 packed cup fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a blender or food processor, purée ingredients to use for turkey.
Cook’s note: Stir herb paste into mashed potatoes or drizzle over roasted veggies or green salads.
Carl’s Wine Pairings: Texas McPherson Les Copains white blend. This wine has a bit of a fruity edge that pairs well with
the turkey white meat. Arizona Stronghold Tazi - this is a conundrum blend with a cornucopia of fruit flavors, perfect for
many of the elements of the big feast. We have both wines available up at Little Washington Winery.
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
Serves 12
Equipment: 2-2Qt baking dishes
Oven Temperature: 350 degrees F
Bake time: 30 minutes
Soufflé
1 ¾ cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Brown sugar
Salt to taste
4 cups cooked Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
6 Eggs, separated
1 tsp each: Cinnamon and Nutmeg
1 cup toasted Pecan pieces
Combine cream, brown sugar and salt and bring to a boil, stirring often. Pour over hot cooked sweet potatoes and beat on low speed
until smooth and creamy.
Beat in yolks, one at a time and finish by adding the spices and pecans.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with 2 Tbs granulated sugar until glossy and stiff. Fold meringue into the sweet potato mixture and
then divide mixture into 2 greased 2-quart baking dishes.
Topping
1 cup Brown sugar
¼ cup butter
¼ cup Heavy cream
1 cup shredded Coconut, sweet flake
1-cup Pecan pieces
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp Vanilla (can substitute Rum or Maple extract)
Combine sugar, cream and butter and cook until thick and bubbly. Add coconut, pecan pieces, flour and extract. Mix together well.
To Use: Spoon half of topping mixture over each soufflé dish and then bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
RAPPAHANOCK RIVER OYSTER STUFFING
INGREDIENTS:
1 pint shucked Rappahannock River Oysters
1 onion, minced
2 ea. Leeks (whites only), rinsed and small diced
4 stalks celery, washed and small diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 links Andouille sausage, small diced
2 packs unseasoned bread crumbs
2 qts. Chicken stock, warm
1 Tbsp. Italian Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. Sage, sliced
1 Tbsp. Thyme, picked and chopped
2 ea. Lemon, only zest
Canola Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
METHOD:
·
Pre-heat an oven to 375 degrees
·
In a large sauce pan, render the andouille sausage until slightly crispy, add onions, celery, leeks and garlic and cook until translucent; add the oysters and their liquor (the juice they’re packed in), cook until liquor is reduced by 50%
·
Fold the breadcrumbs into the mixture, and use the warm chicken stock to moisten the breadcrumbs and form a cohesive “stuffing”; finish with thyme, parsley, sage and lemon zest
·
Put the entire mixture into a 9”x13” casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the top is well-browned; serve
immediately. (This dish can be prepared a day in advance, reserved in the refrigerator and then baked the following day. Add 20 minutes to the cooking time to ensure that it is thoroughly heated)